NABATEAN

The Nabatean Empire has its origins [i] in today’s Yemen or in northern Arabia between 539-332 BCE. In 312 BCE, the King of Macedonia [ii] failed in his attack [iii] on the Nabatean capital of Petra, then called Reqem. In the 4th century BCE, the Nabateans were primarily situated around Petra. With success in trading [iv] frankincense, myrrh, and other spices, the Nabateans expanded their territorial and political control. At the apex of their wealth and power, the civilization controlled critical cities along the “Incense Routes"[v]. After the Roman empire annexed the Nabatean empire in 106 CE, the Nabatean trade, economy, and regional control deteriorated.

The Nabateans’ wealth and territorial expansion did not go unnoticed, and the empire successfully warded off numerous attacks. Much of recorded Nabatean history begins in 312 BCE, when the Seleucid King Antigonus attacked [vi] Petra. While some accounts describe the attack as a complete failure, others [vii] claim that Antigonus’ forces looted the city before their defeat. The Roman empire, for a time a key Nabatean ally [viii], also attempted to capture Petra. In 64 BCE, the now stronger Roman military, while failing to take the city, imposed tribute requirements in exchange for Nabatean independence. Rome succeeded in imposing their rule in 106 CE.

Visitors to Petra, the Nabatean city carved into sandstone located approximately 155 miles south of Amman, Jordan, can marvel at the engineering brilliance that sets the civilization apart. After walking through the “Siq” gorge, visitors come face-to-face with the city’s most iconic image, Al Khazna [ix], or “the Treasury.” The towering façade [x] is 83 feet wide and 128.3 feet high, decorated with intricate designs. The archeological site of Hegra, also called Mada'in Salih, is equally worth the visit. Hegra [xi] was the Nabateans’ second capital. The Nabateans settled this area in the northwestern region of modern Saudi Arabia in the 1st century CE.

From the mid-3rd century BCE, the Nabateans were governed by a king and royal family. However, the historian Strabo recounts[xii] that the Nabatean society was highly democratic. Women and men in the society were equal, according to Strabo’s interpretation, with women ruling [xiii] as independent monarchs. Women in Nabatean society owned property, and actively participated in the legal system. The Nabateans were well organized militarily, and successfully defended themselves against larger empires. King Aretas III [xiv] expanded the territory under Nabatean control more than any other king, enabling the empire to control key cities along the trading routes that produced the civilization’s wealth.

While the Nabateans expanded their influence throughout the region and controlled trade routes, they were likewise influenced by their neighbors. For example, evidence of Hellenistic [xv] influences are found in Nabatean art and architecture. Nabatean inscriptions [xvi] reading “Aretas, King of the Nabateans, lover of his people” lead historians to believe that King Aretas IV was the most revered of the Nabatean kings. Aretas IV strengthened Nabatean influence and is credited with the flourishing of the economy, law, women’s rights, and culture. Aretas IV’s successors were less efficient in their rule, and the Romans encroached on Nabatean territory until their final annexation.

The Nabateans used engineering [xvii] to solve the problem of water scarcity, and thus ensured their independence from other tribes. The aqueducts, cisterns, and dams built to capture water from flash floods and provide a steady supply of water can still be seen today. The Nabateans prospered and had an advantage over other tribes, which traded for water. The ingenuity of their masonry was likewise unequaled. Rather than build on sand, they cut their city into sandstone. Despite the impact of natural erosion, the cities of Petra and Hegra still contain the massive, intricate facades, temples, and tombs unique to this civilization.

The Nabateans’ economic prowess, particularly in trade, drew the attention of regional neighbors and today’s historians. Trade [xviii] in spices, frankincense, sugar, animals, and perfumes, among other goods, flourished between China, India, the Far East, Egypt, Syria, Greece, and Rome. Securing control over key cities along the “Incense Routes" [xix], the Nabateans’ trade routes stretched from Syria toward today’s Yemen. Petra served as a well-protected trading center. The Nabatean empire was annexed by Rome in 106 CE, and the civilization lost control over the trade routes. Nabatean wealth further declined as the Syrian city of Palmyra [xx] emerged as the new regional trading hub.